For those who hit the gym floor regularly there's lots of good pre-workout boost and post-workout recovery advice out there. Many supplements available in shops contain artificial sweeteners and flavouring agents, so if you want to go all natural, try Matcha tea to energise your body before the workout and recover from the exercise quicker. Matcha contains heaps of antioxidants, the most powerful identified compound being EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate). EGCG has been proven to have anti-inflamm..

A lovely article about Leaf Bar on Somewhere Over The Teapot - a French
blog about all things tea. We met with the writer a few weeks ago at
Cambridge Market and shared delicious cups of tea and memorable tea
stories. I was so excited to meet someone who also appreciates the
unsmoked Lapsang tea!The article is in French, a good opportunity to refresh your language skills: Découverte : la marque The Leaf Bar à Cambridge ..

Good news for our customers from the Cambridge area - we are now trading at Cambridge Markets on Wednesdays. Come say hi and taste our teas before buying, learn more about what we do and where our teas come from. Have a chat about our trade offers, tea training and corporate events.A selection of teas and teaware will be available to purchase at the market, and you can also collect your online orders from the market stall - just choose "collect from store" delivery option, and drop us an email w..

Last weekend I baked Jasmine Shortbread for our market stall, and it was very popular! Many customers asked for the recipe, so here you go - give it a go yourself. Matcha shortbread is very easy to make, prep time is 15 min, cool time 30 min, bake time 20min.

Tea by Country

The birthplace of tea is China. A legend tells that around 2700 BC the
Chinese emperor and renowned herbalist Sheng Nung was resting beneath a tree
while his servant was boiling drinking water. Some leaves from the tree fell
into the water, and the emperor, who often tried various plants to assess their
medical value, decided to drink it anyway. He noticed that the accidentally
brewed concoction made him feel more energised, and that's how tea was discovered.

Cultivation of tea in China started around 350AD and it was a popular drink
among Buddhist monks. Tea was introduced to Korea around 6th century
during Silla dynasty where it was later grown by Buddhist monks. And during
Tang dynasty (9th century) tea seeds were brought to Japan. Soon after
tea was also cultivated in Japan and enjoyed by Buddhist scholars, monks and imperial
court nobles.

There is evidence that tea was recognised in North Eastern areas of India
already around 750BC, but the first actual tea garden was established in Assam by
East India Company in late 19th century during British rule in
India. Around the same time tea replaced coffee production in Sri Lanka.

Taiwanese tea cultivation started with tea plants brought from Fujian
province in China around 17th century, but larger scale production
started in 19th century influenced by British entrepreneur John Dodd
who strived to produce an export product that would work as an alternative to
Indian tea.

Nowadays each of these countries has developed their own distinct tea
culture, and products grown in these countries differ greatly. It is our
pleasure to offer some of the finest brews available to illustrate the journey
through the tea world.